Toy



May 12, 1936. AR 2,040,522

' TOY Filed April 19, 1934 I NVENTOR Lou s Marx ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to a harmless toy missile.

The primary and general object of the present invention resides in the provision of a harmless toy missile embodying self-contained propulsion means. A more particular object of the invention resides in the provision of a toy which may be constructed and sold at minimum cost.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the toy elements and their relation one to the other as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the toy in use; and

Fig. 2 shows the construction of the same.

Referring to the drawing, the toy comprises a head B of appreciable mass, and an elastic strand R for propelling the same. The toy further includes a handle T adapted to facilitate gripping and holding the same.

In the specific case here illustrated, the head B is a ball preferably made of sponge rubber. Referring to Fig. 2, the solid content of sponge rubber is indicated at 12. The surface may be coated with a thin skin of smooth rubber indicated at l4, and may further be painted to decorate the same. I find that a ball about one and a quarter inches in diameter is suitable in weight, size, and convenience of handling for the present purpose.

The elastic strand R preferably consists of a short heavy piece of rubber. To provide adequate strength and. propulsive force, the rubber should be of heavy gauge, and I find that a oneeighth inch square strand is suitable. A piece of such rubber approximately four inches in length before stretching is sufficient.

The rubber strand R. may be secured to the ball B in various ways, the connection preferably being made permanent. A simple yet dependable connection may be made in the manner illustrated in the drawing, in which a stout cord i6 is knotted about the end of rubber strand R with a simple looped connection shown at [8, this connection being self-tightening and resembling a bail sling knot. The resulting double cord passes diametrically through the ball and is knotted at the opposite side, as indicated at 20. It will be understood that it is not necessary to preliminarily form a clear passage through the ball because the cord may be forcibly threaded through the sponge rubber by an appropriate tool or needle.

The handle T is most simply made of a short piece of inelastic tape of common textile variety. The tape is secured to the free end of the rubber strand It most simply by tightly knotting the same together, as is indicated at 22.

In effect, the toy may be considered as made up of the head B and a multi-part propulsion strand one end of which is secured to the head and an intermediate part of which is elastic, the remainder of the propulsion strand being inelastic.

To use the toy, the tape handle T is grasped in one hand, while the ball B is grasped in the other and drawn backwardly, as is indicated in Fig. l. The tape handle affords a firm, nonslipping grip which is in decided contrast to the uneasy sensation arising when it is necessary to grasp the tensioned rubber itself. To propel the toy, it is simply necessary to release the ball an instant before releasing the tape. This requires a little practice, but that increases the entertainment value of the toy. After some practice it will be found that the toy may be aimed with considerable accuracy and propelled for a substantial distance at a definite target. The sponge rubber ball is too soft to cause damage such as bodily injury or breakage of glass. During its flight the ball is trailed by the rubber strand and the light broad tape, and therefore presents a tailed or comet-like appearance. The toy is therefore amusing even if merely shot upwardly into the air.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and using, as well as the many advantages of my improved toy will be apparent from the foregoing description thereof. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described the toy in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a soft sponge rubber ball, a short elastic strand secured thereto, and a short length of inelastic tape having one end free and its other end tied to the free end of the elastic strand, said strand being adapted when tensioned between the ball and the tape and released to propel the toy for a substantial distance.

2. A toy comprising a soft sponge rubber ball, a short heavy strand of elastic having a section approximately one-eighth of an inch square, and an inelastic tape handle having one end free and its other end tied to one end of the rubber piece of'cord passed diametrically through the ball, the closed end of the cord being looped about the end of the elastic, and the opposite ends of the cord being knotted to hold the same on the ball.

4. A toy comprising a soft sponge rubber ball,

a short heavy strand of elastic having a section approximately one-eighth of an inch square and a length of approximately four inches, an inelastic tape handle of approximately the same length, one end of said handle being tied to one endof the rubber strand, the other end of the strand being secured to the ball by a doubled piece of cord passed diametrically through the ball, the closed end of the cord being looped about the end of the elastic, and the opposite ends of the cord being knotted to hold the same on the ball.

5. A toy comprising a soft sponge rubber ball, a short elastic strand, an inelastic cord passing through the ball and knotted at one end and tied about the elastic strand at its opposite end, and a short length of inelastic tape having one end free and its other end tied to the free end of the elastic strand, said strand being adapted when tensioned between the ball and the tape and released, to propel the toy for a substantial distance.

6. A toy comprising a soft head of appreciable mass, a single short heavy elastic strand having one of its ends secured thereto, and a single short length of inelastic tape having one end free and its other end tied to the free end of the elastic strand, said strand being adapted when tensioned between the ball and the tape and released, to propel the toy for a substantial distance, said strand extending away from the head at one side only thereof and being the only strand secured to the head.

LOUIS MARX. 

